Steelers promote RB Aaron Shampklin to active roster, clear OLB Jeremiah Moon to practice

Three days after his NFL debut as a practice-squad elevation, running back Aaron Shampklin was promoted to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ active roster Wednesday.

Shampklin, who played in college at Harvard, had been cut by four NFL teams and never appeared in a regular-season game until Sunday’s Steelers loss at the Indianapolis Colts. He was called into duty when Jaylen Warren missed that game because of injury, and Cordarrelle Patterson left in the first half with an injury.

“It was good to finally get my first NFL game out of the way,” Shampklin said Monday. “But I know I have to keep working every day and keep getting better and keep just doing what I’m asked to do to help this team win.”

The only prior pro regular-season experience for Shampklin — who turns 25 in two weeks — was in the USFL in 2023. He served as a kickoff return man and third-down back against the Colts. His promotion could signal that Warren and/or Patterson has a significant enough injury that the Steelers are assured one or both will miss Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Taking the vacated practice-squad spot is inside linebacker Jacoby Windmon, who signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State and spent the entirety of training camp and the preseason with the team.

A running back, Aaron Shampklin played 13 snaps on offense and six on special teams Sunday, a day after the #Steelers announced he was being elevated from the practice squad. https://t.co/7KOnZ2muHe

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) October 1, 2024

Moon cleared to practice

The Steelers announced Wednesday that veteran outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon was cleared to return to practice on the first day he was eligible to do so. Moon was placed on injured reserve before the season started because of an ankle ailment.

IR rules stipulate a player must miss four games before he can return to practice. Once that happens, a 21-day window opens during which that player must be added to the active roster or is out for the season.

Moon was listed as a full practice participant on the injury report for Wednesday.

More telling in the announcement that Moon returned to practice was that three other players were not mentioned. Offensive tackle Dylan Cook (foot) and defensive lineman Logan Lee (calf) also were put on IR prior to Week 1 and could have been allowed to practice Wednesday.

Additionally, inside linebacker Cole Holcomb remains on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from a major knee injury suffered last November. Players on PUP also, by rule, were allowed to practice for the first time Wednesday. That the Steelers did not announce returns for Cook, Lee and Holcomb indicates none is close to returning to game action.

Starter Alex Highsmith is out because of a groin injury and his replacement, Nick Herbig, missed a portion of Sunday’s game because of an ankle injury. With T.J. Watt the only other outside linebacker on the active roster aside, the Steelers could use Moon as soon as Sunday — if he proves healthy.